


Relics

by tanks4thememory



Category: Star Wars Original Trilogy, Star Wars: Rebels, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Feelings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-24
Updated: 2015-10-24
Packaged: 2018-04-27 22:54:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,456
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5068015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tanks4thememory/pseuds/tanks4thememory
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An old soldier meets a young Jedi. Feelings ensue.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Relics

Rex watched from a doorway as Princess Leia Organa hung medals around the necks of the boy and the smuggler. There was one for the smuggler’s wookie copilot as well, but it would be given to him later; the huge furry sentient would have had to bend almost double for the Princess to be able to put the medal on him, and everyone had apparently agreed that it would have made the situation unintentionally comical. Not that his current lack of a medal seemed to bother the wookie. He let out a triumphant roar and the assembled rebel soldiers burst into applause.

The old soldier smiled. Some of those who’d recognized him had invited him to join those gathered inside, but he’d politely turned them down. He hadn’t been part of this battle; today wasn’t for him. It was for that sandy-haired kid from some backwater planet who’d pulled off a damn near impossible shot and brought down the Empire’s ultimate weapon with one blow, saving all their hides in the process. It was for Luke Skywalker.

No, Rex wasn’t there for the ceremony. But he was there for the kid. Because when word of the name of the pilot who’d pulled off the miraculous shot had reached his ears, he could scarcely believe it. It had been almost twenty years since he’d last served with a man named Skywalker, a man he could never forget. A man who’d saved his life numerous times, and who he’d returned the favor for a few times as well.

It could be coincidence; ‘Skywalker’ wasn’t that rare of a surname in certain parts of the galaxy. There was even a brand of wine under that name, if he wasn’t mistaken. And so far as Rex knew, General Skywalker hadn’t had any children or other close relatives. But if there was even a chance... well, Rex had to know.

And so he waited just off the doorway as the room’s occupants began to file out. He exchanged polite greetings with some of those that he knew. There seemed to be fewer of those every day, but such was the nature of war. Most of the faces who passed him by seemed so young; fresh, flush with victory, and full of fire, ready to take on the whole Empire themselves. Or maybe he was just getting old. Most likely it was a combination of the two.

The group that had been on the dais was the last to exit. Two droids trundled out, engaged in a good natured argument with each other; for some reason they also struck a chord of familiarity with the old soldier and he watched them for a moment until they turned down another corridor. Princess Organa exited next, conversing with an admiral whose name escaped Rex at the moment, going over plans to begin evacuating the base. Even with the festive mood, they couldn’t escape the fact that their base had been compromised; they’d have to relocate before the Empire decided to send someone to finish the job their massive battle station had failed to complete.

Luke Skywalker finally emerged with the smuggler and the wookie, the former two engaged in conversation, comparing particularly impressive piloting moves that they’d pulled off over the years, with the wookie interjecting something occasionally. Luke paused, however, as he seemed to notice Rex’s eyes on him, glancing over in the old soldier’s direction. Rex nodded slightly to him as if in acknowledgement of the fact that he’d been watching the kid.

The smuggler and the wookie continued on a few paces before they noticed that Luke had fallen behind, then they too paused, turning to see what was keeping him. “Hey, Luke, you coming?”, the smuggler asked.

Luke hesitated a moment, looking at Rex, then turned back to his companions. “You guys go ahead,” he said. “I’ll catch up.”

The smuggler looked mildly confused, glancing from Luke to Rex and back, before finally giving a slight shrug. “Alright,” he said. “Chewie and I’ll be in the hangar.” Luke nodded his understanding, and the smuggler and his wookie friend left.

As they rounded the corner and vanished from sight, Luke turned to approach Rex properly. And it was then that any doubts Rex had as to the young man’s lineage vaporized like they’d been blasted by a disruptor set on full. Hanging on Luke’s belt was a lightsaber. And not just any lightsaber- General Anakin Skywalker’s lightsaber. Rex had seen him wield it in battle countless times, seen it hanging on the Jedi Knight’s belt countless more. He’d know that lightsaber anywhere.

His recognition must have showed because a look of mingled concern and confusion crossed Luke’s face. “Are you alright?”, he asked. “You look like you just saw a ghost.”

“Yeah, yeah I’m fine,” Rex said, giving a slight smile. “I just couldn’t help noticing… that’s quite a unique weapon you have there.” He indicated the lightsaber.

Luke seemed hesitant for a moment, as if uncertain what Rex’s interest in his weapon might mean, but then nodded. “Yeah,” Luke finally agreed, unclipping it from his belt and turning it over in his hands a few times, his gaze shifting from Rex to the saber as he did so. “It belonged to my father.”

“I know,” Rex said, the slight smile becoming fonder at the memory. “I served with him, back during the Clone Wars.”

Luke’s head shot up at those words. “You knew my father?”, he asked. There was an almost desperate kind of hope in the kid’s voice, looking for any connection to the father he’d probably never known.

Far be it from Rex to disappoint. He nodded, pulling himself up as straight as he could; not as easy as it used to be, he noted, but that mattered little at the moment. “I served under General Skywalker’s command for years,” he said. “He was a great Jedi, a brilliant commander… and a good friend. Captain Rex, Commander of the 501st Clone Battalion, at your service.”

“I didn’t know there were any clones left,” Luke said, a touch of amazement in his voice.

“Oh, there’s a few of us still kickin’,” Rex replied. “Though I’ll admit, I’m not kickin’ quite as hard as I used to these days.”

Luke paused slightly. “What was it like?”, he finally asked. “Fighting in the Clone Wars, I mean.”

A wry smile further crinkled Rex’s wrinkled face. “Never boring, I can tell you that,” he said. “Especially not serving under General Skywalker’s command. He always thought that the best way to lead was by example; oftentimes he’d be right there on the front lines, fighting beside us, which earned him a lot of respect. Saved me more times than I care to count with that lightsaber of yours, and I returned the favor a few times myself. Plus he had a penchant for… unorthodox tactics. Heh, I could tell you stories…”

“Would you?”, Luke asked, a little too suddenly. A touch of sadness crept into Rex’s smile as that near desperate hope made itself known in the kid’s voice again. Luke’s own shoulders slumped sadly as he continued. “Obi-Wan told me how my father died, but he didn’t…” A pause. “…Well there wasn’t time for him to tell me much about his life.”

Rex’s expression turned solemn. “Yeah…”, he said with a sigh. “I heard about General Kenobi. I didn’t know him as well as I knew your father, but he was another great Jedi. General Skywalker had a lot of respect for him.” He reached out to rest a weathered hand on Luke’s shoulder. “And I know they’d both be proud of you for what you did out there.”

Luke’s downcast pose remained, but his expression took on an oddly thoughtful look. After a long moment, he nodded, lifting his eyes to meet Rex’s again. This battle had cost him; Rex could tell. He’d seen that look too many times before not to recognize it. Part of him wished he could pretend that it would be the last time the kid had to face such a loss, but… he knew better. This war was far from over. Somehow, he could tell that the kid knew this too.

Finally, after a long moment, Rex smiled again, though a bit more softly this time. “Anyway,” he said, “c’mon, kid. Let’s go find ourselves a drink before they start packing up all the good stuff. Then ol’ Rex’ll tell you about the time your father got the drop on a Separatist battleship by landing tanks on the surrounding asteroids.”

Luke looked surprised slightly dubious, but couldn’t help a slight smile himself as the old soldier led him off. That was one he had to hear.


End file.
